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Ozone mini‐holes over Valencia (Spain) and their influence on the UV erythemal radiation
Author(s) -
MartínezLozano J. A.,
Utrillas M. P.,
Núñez J. A.,
Tamayo J.,
Marín M. J.,
Esteve A. R.,
Cañada J.,
Moreno J. C.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
international journal of climatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.58
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-0088
pISSN - 0899-8418
DOI - 10.1002/joc.2173
Subject(s) - anomaly (physics) , anticyclone , stratosphere , ozone , climatology , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , peninsula , troposphere , ozone layer , radiation , meteorology , geography , geology , physics , archaeology , condensed matter physics , quantum mechanics
Low ozone level episodes (also known as mini‐holes) have been analysed over Valencia, Spain, during the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2007. In this study, 24 episodes, lasting 1 or 2 days each, were detected. Most of them can be explained dynamically by the existence of an anticyclone over the Azores, which sends air masses coming from the Caribbean over the Iberian Peninsula. A positive anomaly in the vertical temperature profile in the high troposphere and one negative anomaly in the medium and low stratosphere are also observed in most of the analysed episodes. The total ozone column decrease is accompanied by a rise in the UV erythemal radiation levels. This increase is quantified at 1.29 times the decrease in the total ozone column. This is known as the radiation amplification factor (RAF) of UV erythemal radiation. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society